Cheese of the Week No. 9

It's all about not-brie this week. Brie is everywhere, and almost everybody knows it. It's a soft-ripened, unpressed curd, young cheese from France with a tangy, slightly bitter rind and interior paste that ranges from rubbery to runny depending on quality and runniness. Unfortunately for us, we can't get the great raw milk brie, and while the pasteurized stuff we have is still wonderful cheese, I'm going to give you a few tastier alternatives to try.

Chaource: pasteurized (in U.S.) cow's milk, France (Champagne). Also a bloomy rinded soft ripened cheese like brie, but fashioned into a stout drum rather than a pie. About 4 inches tall and just over 3 inches in diameter, chaource has a much tangier and fruitier flavor than brie, and when it's at its peak ripeness, it's a real treat. Cut a hole through the top of the rind and spoon out the runny paste onto sliced baguette or crackers. Enjoy with Champagne or dry, fruity whites and very light reds.

Robiola Due Latti: pasteurized cow's and sheep's milk, Italy. Depending on its ripeness, robiola can be sliced or spooned. In either case, it's delicious, tangy, fruity, and comes on with a strong cheesey aftertaste that goes through the nose as you exhale. As a washed rind cheese, it packs a powerful aromatic punch, but don't let it deter you from trying this delicious square of creamy goodness with bread, fruit and a bold red.

Alsatian Munster: pasteurized (in U.S.) cow's milk, Alsace, France. This is not your typical deli muenster, far from it. This is a funky, stinky, creamy delight that tastes tremendous. Your friends will be impressed that you would even consider putting something that smells like that in your mouth. Do try it, though. It comes in a couple of different sizes, a large round that's often sliced for sale in wedges, and little rounds to be bought whole. A French customer told me it's common in France to dip little slices of munster into cumin seeds to enjoy it. Tangy, spicy and rich, this is a good after dinner cheese with fruit and a nice Alsatian white.

If you're still stuck on Brie and you have a little round of it that you want to bake en croute, here's an idea for you:

Bake Brie, Sharp Edge (Pittsburgh) Style

one small round of brie
couple tablespoons of raspberry jam
puff pastry, enough to wrap around the cheese
thinly sliced toasted almonds
honey for drizzling

Slice the brie horizontally to make two layers. Spread the jam over the bottom half and sandwich it with the top. Wrap the whole thing neatly with puff pastry and top with almonds. Bake on parchment paper in a moderate oven until the pastry is puffed and golden. Drizzle with honey and serve warm with crackers and some tasty beverage.